Cruise & Ferry
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas Completes First Year in Service – Cruise Industry News
The Utopia of the Seas recently completed its first year of service for the Royal Caribbean International brand.
Built by the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France, the vessel was delivered to the company on June 14, 2024.
The ship then made technical calls in Spain and Puerto Rico before heading to Port Canaveral for its maiden season.
Upon arriving at its homeport a few days earlier, the LNG-powered vessel kicked off its first commercial cruise on July 19, 2024.
Before the maiden voyage, the Utopia of the Seas was also named during a special ceremony that included singer Meghan Trainor as godmother.
As the first Oasis-class ship entirely dedicated to short cruises, the ship then embarked on a series of three- and four-night itineraries to the Bahamas.
The voyages are highlighted by Royal Caribbean’s private island destination of Perfect Day at CocoCay, which is visited on every sailing.
In addition to sailing to the Bahamas, the Utopia of the Seas made a one-off cruise to the Western Caribbean during its first year of service.
After sailing from Port Canaveral in May 2025, the four-night itinerary featured a visit to Cozumel in Mexico, as well as a day at sea.
The ship is now scheduled to offer its first-ever weeklong cruise on Dec. 24, 2026, sailing from Port Canaveral for a seven-night itinerary to the Eastern Caribbean.
In addition to CocoCay, the cruise features Utopia’s maiden visits to Philipsburg in St. Maarten and Charlotte Amalie in St. Thomas.
As the fourth ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis series to be constructed at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique, the Utopia of the Seas followed the 2016-built Harmony of the Seas, the 2018-built Symphony of the Seas and the 2022-built Wonder of the Seas.
Two vessels, the 2009-built Oasis of the Seas and the 2010-built Allure of the Seas, were previously built at the Aker Yards shipyard in Turku, Finland.
After the Utopia, Royal Caribbean is set to take delivery of an additional Oasis-class ship from Chantiers in 2028
Regent Seven Seas Cruises is making some changes to its dress code.
The luxury cruise line explained the new policy in an email to guests, according to MarketWatch.
Moving forward, travelers can wear “refined denim” and “dress sneakers” after 6 p.m. as part of the line’s new “elegant casual” evening dress code.
Jeans must not be torn or distressed, while sneakers must be clean, in good condition and in a neutral or classic color. T-shirts, baseball caps, shorts, athletic shoes, flip flops and bathrobes are not permitted in any social spaces after 6 p.m.
Guests can also continue to wear more formal clothing, including gowns, cocktail dresses, tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits with a tie.
Some passengers are rejoicing at the update, while others are disappointed—like Dana Newbauer, a Regent Seven Seas Cruises customer based in Pennsylvania. He tells MarketWatch that he likes to have “that fantasy James Bond-type moment and enjoy a nice dinner in the company of people who are dressed the same way.”
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In celebration of the U.S. 250th anniversary, American
Cruise Lines has added a fifth new itinerary to their 2026
collection of extended cruises.
American’s 32-Day Revolutionary War Cruise will sail between
Albany, New York and Washington, D.C. from October 8 to November 5, 2026. The
patriotic adventure will feature Revolutionary War experts on onboard telling
the story of America’s fight for independence as guests sail the Hudson River
and sections of the East Coast during peak fall foliage season. Small ship ports
of call include New York City, Boston, Annapolis, Yorktown, Sleepy Hollow,
Newport, Plymouth and Philadelphia.
Guests have the opportunity to sail aboard all three of the
newest ships in the country: American Legend, which launched in October 2024; American
Patriot, which began sailing in June 2025; and sister ship, American
Pioneer, launching in October 2025.
Guided shore excursions include those in West Point, Mount
Vernon, Hyde Park, and the nation’s historic triangle—Jamestown, Williamsburg,
and Yorktown—pivotal places that defined the birth of our nation. The itinerary
also includes a stay at the Four Seasons in Washington, D.C. and a special
visit to the Smithsonian’s Entertainment Nation exhibit which American Cruise
Lines sponsors.
Other Extended Cruises for 2026 previously announced at
Seatrade in April 2025 include: a 52-Day Great United States Cruise (from
Portland, OR to Boston, MA); a 51-Day Spring Across America Cruise (from
Charleston, S.C. to Juneau, AK); a 55-Day Great American Fall Foliage Cruise
(from Juneau, AK to Washington, D.C.); and a 36-Day Civil War Battlefields
Cruise (from New Orleans, LA to Gettysburg, PA).
All cruises include a dedicated cruise concierge, flights
and hotels between cruise segments, daily excursions and entertainment, all onboard
food and beverages to include alcohol, as well as tips and gratuities, port
charges and fees and WiFi.
Reservations are currently open for booking.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
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Cruise & Ferry
Celebrity River Ships Will Feature ‘Meaningful’ Differentiation – Cruise Industry News
Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, said that in 2028, the company expects significant benefits from the first complete operational year of Celebrity River.
During the company’s second quarter earnings call, Liberty said that the company will introduce Celebrity’s first river ships in 2027 and that will ramp up from two in 2027 to four ships in 2028.
Liberty said that the number of ships for river cruising is not just a reflection of the company getting comfortable operationally but having a very strong idea of all the different potential destinations, both in Europe and globally.
“We want to make sure that we can deliver these experiences to our guests, and we have to challenge ourselves not just because we can make some more money on it, but because we need to meet that demand for our guests who are looking to have that river experience,” Liberty added.
He added that Royal Caribbean feels good about the destination experience that Celebrity will offer, both on the ship and on land.
Liberty said his focus is currently on building up the company’s river ship fleet as soon as possible.
“I’m probably more focused on how we get it done faster. But our teams are being very thoughtful about that. It’s going to be a great vacation experience for our guests,” Liberty said.
“We’re pretty well baked with the ship design, which we are very confident will be a meaningful differentiator to what is currently available out there,” he added.
“And there’s a lot of space. This is a very underpenetrated marketplace, we think. There’s room for everybody to grow successfully, but we’re going to elevate this.”
Liberty said that another confidence driver is that the company has customers coming forward, wanting to be onboard as soon as possible.
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